Centrifugal spinning machine



Jan. 13, 1931. J. McGOWAN 1,789,107

CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 19 29 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,J Y Z 31 Viz/us wow Jan. 13, 1931.

J. MOGOWAN v 1,789,107

CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 "u 1 1/4 1 I a? 7 J 3 86 8362 1| i I E E: 92 I, 145 EOE gm 7;

' 80 lia 8777 1 afford)? J. M GOWAN 1,789,107

CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING MACHINE Jan. 13, 1931.

Filed Sept. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 13, 1931. c owA 1,789,107

CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 6 M; flfi7 7163 Patented Jan. 13, 1931,

PATENT OFFICE I JOSEPH MCGOWAN, F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND CENTRIFUGAL SPINNING MACHINE Application filed September 14, 1929. Serial No. 392,698.

My invention relates to centrifugal pot spinning machines for viscose or rayon.

Heretofore the product of the centrifugal pot spinning machine has consisted of a cylindrical or frustro conical cake provided with a central orifice and of a substantially solid constituency caused by the relatively .irregular deposition of the constituent thread coils in the spinning pot. This indiscriminate disposition of the thread coils made it necessary to supplement the spinning step by an independent contemporary or subsequent step of unwinding the thread from the cake and rewinding it upon a swift or other winding mechanism into skein form, and to thereafter manually separate or interspace portions of 'the skein to receive the lacings.

An essential object of my invention is to render the thread as a skein rather than as a cake and thus escape the auxiliary unwinding and winding steps above referred to.

Another object is to combine in a single operation the spinning and skeining of the thread.

A further object is to combine in a single operation with the spinning and skeining operation, the disposition of the skein parts to receive the lease threads.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

My invention consists in the instrumentalities for attaining the above objects, and in such. parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification Figure 1 is a transverse section of a portion of a centrifugal pot spinning machine embodying my invention,

Figure 2, a sectional view of a portion of one side of the machine taken on line 22 of Figure 1, L

Figure 3, a section of a portion of the machine taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, a fragmentary perspective view of the pot or bowl and the empty container mounted therein,

Figure 5, a side elevation of the container filled and removed from the pot,

Figure 6, a plan view of the cover of the p t Figure 7, a funnel,

Figures 8 and 9, sections taken on lines 8-8 of Figure 1 and 99 of-Figure 8 respectively.

Figure 10, a reverse side elevation of the funnel and its operating arm, showing in broken lines a second position of the funnel,

Figure 11, a section taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10, and

Figure 12, a di'agranunatic view of the filament skein with the lease threads applied thereto. Y

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the drawings 16 represents a vertical half of a usual'frame of a machine of this type wherein 17 is one side wall, 18 the ta le or base, 19 the legs, 20 one of the ends, 21 one of the longitudinal tops or shelves, and 22 one of the lateral longitudinally disposed supports, for the series of spindle motors.

The top 21, supports as usual a tank or tanks 24 for the coagulating liquid, 25 is one of the series of nozzles for the viscous solut1o n, carrying its multiple jet 27. 28 is the gulde for the group of filaments 29 passing from the 'tank to their articular det or vertical central section of the roller 30 of the series 0 godets. 1 is the godet shaft mounted in the upper portion of- I the frame and driven by the usual counter shaft 33. 35 are the individual motors at i the series fixed'by bolts 36 or otherwise to an extension 38' of the support22 provided with spindle bearings 39 and'driving their so several spindles 40, journaled in the bearings 39 and in cooperating spindle'bearings 42 on the shelf 21. The upper ends of the spindles are fixed to bosses 45 centrally positloned upon the bottoms of the spinning 95 pots 47. The pots are oversize or of greater dimensions than those heretofore in use.

A distinguishing feature of this invention is the independent actuation of each funnel 48 byits correspondingspindle motnrw Each motor necessarily varies in speed. Hence in spinning and winding the filaments or thread in skein form as distinguished from the old cake form each spindle must be equipped with a funnel traverse motion or reciprocation mechanism independent and distinct from the reciprocation mechanism of the other funnels, and thus permit such an independent adjustment of each mechanism as will securea perfect synchronization of each funnel reciprocation with the spindle speed of itsv cooperating pot, a result not heretofore attained.

The funnel operating mechanism includes a worm 49 fixed to an intermediate portion of each spindle 4O engaging the teeth 51 of a worm wheel 52 rotatably mounted, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, on a stud or shaft 54 fixed in the upper ends of supports 59 fixed to the table 18 of the frame. A friction disk with a tapering peripheral face 66 is integral with one face of the wheel 52. Its plane outer face 67 is adjacent the inner face 68 of a second friction disk 69 slidably mounted on a hub 70 upon the wheel 52 and provided with a tapered or beveled peripheral face 71. The disks 65 and 69 constitute the clutch members of an expansion pulley 72 whose resilient split rim 73 has a double beveled or transversely V shaped inner'face adapted to cooperate with the clutch faces 66 and 71 of the friction disks. A nut 74 upon a thread 75 on the hub and engaging thedisk 69 is for adjusting purposes, and the nut 76 is for locking purposes.

A driving belt 77, preferably of rubber, upon the rim 73 of the expansion pulley engages a driven pulley 78 rotatably mounted on a stud 79 upon a bracket 80 fixed to the side wall 17 of the frame. Integral with the pulley is a crank disk 82 whose wrist pin 83 slides, as shown in Figure 10, in a longitudinal slot 84 in a sectional rocker arm 85 whose body section 86 is pivoted intermediate its length upon a stud 87 carried by a bracket 88 fixed to the wall 17. An end section 89 of the'rocker arm has mounted in its end the funnel 54, and, as shown in Figure 3, has in an intermediate portion a hole 90 to receive a pivot pin 91 which also passes loosely through an .elongated opening 92 in the arm section 86 in which the pin is adapted to oscillate. The pin has an enlarged portion 93 at one end forming a shoulder which loosely abuts against the rear side of the pivoted arm section 89, and is provided at its other end with a thread 95 which receives a nut 96' loosely abutting against the front side of the arm section 86. The inner end of the arm section 89 is downwardly and out-/ longitudinal rib 100. The top face of the head abuts against the bottom of a horizontal lateral lug 102 integral with the portion 93 of the pivot pin 91, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The pin portion 93 is provided with .a diametrical hole 104, at right angles to the direction of the lug, in which is fixed adepending leg 106 constituting a part of a yoke shaped guide member 107 whose other vertical leg 109, connected thereto by the arch portion 110, is slidably mounted in brackets 112 bolted to the frame wall 17 above the rocker arm section 86. The leg 109 may obviously be fixed in the brackets, and the arm 106 be slidable in the pin opening without departing from the spirit of my invention.

, The arm section 89 will under operating conditionsbe maintained in a horizontal position regardless of the constantly changlng angle of the arm section, since the horizontal rib upon the head 99, which abuts against the vertically movable lug 102, is normally seated in a horizontal groove 113 in a resilient depending segmental arm 114 of thin metal, attached at its upper end by rivets 115 to the lug 102, and provided with a lateral offset depression 116 in its lower end.

When it is desired to remove the contents of the spinning pot 47 the funnel may be manually tilted out of the way to the position shown in broken lines in Figure 10, thereby avoiding resetting the funnel in the arm. In tilting the arm the locking rib 100 is forced from its groove 113 and enters the depression 116 in the lower end of the arm 114, whereby the section 89 is retained in elevated position.

The funnel 54 of glass consists of a relatively stationary section comprising the mouth 120, and the shank or tube 121 clamped in the vertical bore 123 of the arm section 89 by the nuts 124 in the usual manner. Swiveled upon the lower end of the first funnel section is'a rightangular tubular thread guiding section'126 comprising a vertical portion 127 in alignment with and constituting a part of the shank 121, and a horizontal terminal portion 128. The swivel connection between the two sections consists in this case of a ball cage 130 containing balls 131 and resting upon a flange 132 upon the end of the shank 121. The cage is embraced by a cup 133 upon the upper end of the section 126. A ring 134 surrounding the cup have inturned end lugs 135 engaging the cage and supporting the cup. The more accurate la ing of the thread required in forming a stein, particularly makes the guiding and supporting functions of the swiveled extending portion 128 of the funnel of importance.

The spinning pot 47 has the usual cylinwhen the pot is of considerable diameter,

drical side 137, floor 138 and grooved rim 139 for the reception of the cover 141 detachably engageable in the groove by means of the usual catch wire 143, and having diametrically oppositely disposed marginal slots 145. The cover is also provided with a central opening 147 for the admission of the funnel shank, and with slots 148 radiating therefrom 'to facilitate the elevation of the funnel guide portion 128 therethrough. when desired. The interior of the side 137 is provided with a plurality of vertical ribs 150, in this instance four, continuous with elevations.152 upon the upper face of the floor 138. Slidably mounted in the pot is a container or receptacle 154 comprising a side wall 155 provided with perforations 156, and a bottom 158. The wall 155 has vertical slots 160 to slidably receive the ribs 150, and the bottom has recesses 161 in which register the elevations 152. Vertical hand holds 163 upon the container extend through the slots 145 of the cover to facilitate the removal of the receptacle from the pot after the skein has been completely wound.

Each funnel 54 is concentrically disposed with relation to its corresponding spinning pot, and is vertically reciprocated therein by means of the spindle worm 49 of its pot, its vibratory lever 85, and their described driving connections. The rotary speed of the pot is greater than the speed of the vertical travel of the funnel section 126, and therefore the thread filaments 29 are by centrifugal force induced somewhat towards-the wall of the container, but the distance between these two elements is often so great that the guiding and supporting influence of the horizontal portion 128 of the funnel section 126 is often found an advantageous adjunct to the centrifugal force. Two of theseveral positions of travel of the funnel are shown in Figure 2, wherein, for the purpose of clearness, the showing of the skein is omitted.

The actuating of each funnel by its individual spinning spindle insures such accuracy of operation that the thread coils are disposed diagonal or inclined coils against the receptacle walls thereby forming a skein, rather t an disposingthe coils in horizontal and irregular coils whereby a solid mass or cake is produced. In Figure 12 the skein 165 is conventionally shown wherein the cross wind or the inclined positioning of the coils 166 which with the resultant lozenge shaped interstices 167 at intersecting points of crossing 168,- characterize a wound skein.

The degree of loop inclination or character of cross wind of the skein is determined by the traverse speed of the funnel, and this may be varied by either expanding or contracting the diameter of the split rim 73 ofthe expansion pulley 72 by mantraverse and spinning speeds. v a

After the described combined spinning and skeining operations are completed the funnel 48 is tilted back when the outer end of the rocker arm 85 is at the top of a stroke,

the cover 141 is next removed, and the container 154 removed from the pot. As shown in Figure 5 the slots 160 and recesses 161 make certain vertical series of the intersecting portions 168 of the skein 165 ac cessible for manual -weaving of the lease bands or lease threads 170, shown conventionally in Figure 12, alternately over and under the crossed portions 168 where their ends are tied together into knots 172 while the skein is still in the receptacle. The skein may now be withdrawn without derangement thoroughly prepared for the subsequent finishing processes.

It will be understood that the construction of the funnel herein shown, and the container construction herein described, is of equal utility when the spinning pots are vertically reciprocable and the funnel relatively stationary thereto as is common in this type of machine.

I claim 3- 1. In a machine of the character described, a motor, a spinning spindle upon the motor, a spinning pot on the spindle, a worm on the spindle, a worm wheel engaged by the worm, a drivingpulley rigid with the wheel a crank driven by the pulley, a horizontal rocker arm above the pot engaged at one end by the crank, and a funnel'on the other end of the arm concentric with the pot.

2. In a machine of the character described, a motor, a spinning spindle upon the motor, a spinning pot upon the spindle, a rocker arm fulcrumed intermediate its length above the pot, a funnel supported by one end'of the arm, a crank engaging the other end of the arm, a pulley rigid with the crank, an expansible pulley actuated by the spindle, a flexible connection between the pulleys, and means for expanding the expansible pulley.

3. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a motor supported by the frame, a vertical spinning spindle driven by the motor, a spinning pot on the spindle, a

worm on the spindle, a shaft fixed in the.

wrist pin slides by the motor, a spinning pot upon the spindle, a rocker arm comprising a vibratory body section fulcrumed intermediate its length in a plane above the pot, and a section pivotally mounted intermediate its length upon the outer end of the body section, a vertical funnel mounted in the outer end of the second section, means actuated by the spindle and engaging the inner end of the body section for operating the body section, and means for maintaining the second section in a horizontal position during the vibration of the body section.

5. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a motor supported by the frame, a spinning spindle driven by the" motor, a spinning pot on the spindle, a pivot member upon the frame in a plane above the pot, a horizontally disposed vibratory rocker arm comprising a body section pivoted intermediate its length upon the pivot member and provided with an elongated opening in its forward end and an end section provided intermediate its length with a hole, a pivot pin loose in the opening and the hole, and a vertical guide rod slidably supported in the frame fixed to the pin, a lateral lug upon the pivot pin above the second section and against which the second section is adapted to abut, a resilient member fast to the lug provided with a horizontal groove, a longitudinal rib upon the inner end of the second section registerable in the groove, a funnel in the outer end of the second section, and means actuated by the spindle for vibrating the body section.

6. In a machine of the character described,

. a frame, a motor supported in the frame, a

spinning spindle driven by the motor, a spinning pot carried by the spindle, a pivot member upon the frame in a plane above the pot, a body section pivoted intermediate its length upon the pivot member and provided with an elongated opening in its forwardend, and an end section provided intermediate its length with a hole coinciding with the opening, a vertically disposed guide rod supported upon the frame, a nonrotatable pin on the guide rod loose in the hole and opening, a horizontal stop lug carried by the guide rod in the path of the inner end of the second section, resilient means for interlocking the lug with the inner end of the second section, and means actuated by the motor for vibrating the body section.

7. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a motor supported by the frame, a spinning spindle driven by the motor a spinning pot on the spindle, a pivot mem r upon the frame in a plane above the pot, a

horizontally disposed vibratory rocker arm comprising a body section pivoted intermediate its length upon the pivot member and provided with an elongated opening in its forward end and an end section provided intermediate its length with a hole, a nonrotatable pivot pin loose in the opening and in the hole, a vertical guide rod mounted on the frame and carrying the pin, a stop lug upon the pivot pin in the path of the second section, a resillent segmental member depending from the lug provided with a horizontal groove in its upper portion, and a depression in its lower portion, a longitudinal r b upon the second section successively registerable in the groove and depression, a funnel in the front end of the second section, and means actuated by the motor for vibrating the body section.

8. In a machine of the character described, a motor, a spinning spindle driven by the motor, a spinning pot on the spindle, a vertically reciprocable funnel movable concentrically of the pot comprising a non rotary upper section, and a rightangular tubular thread guiding section swivelly mounted upon the lower end of the upper section, and means actuated by the spindle for reciprocating the funnel.

9. Ina machine of the character described,

a motor, a spinning spindle driven by the fmotor, a spinning pot on the spindle, a vertically reciprocable funnel disposed concentrically of the pot, vertically disposed internal ribs upon the pot, a cylindrical container provided with perforations slidably mounted in the pot and provided throughout its height with vertical slots in which the ribs register, and means actuated by the spindle for reciprocating the funnel.

10. In a machine of the character described, a motor, a spindle driven by the motor, a spinning pot upon the spindle, a vertically reciprocable funnel disposed concentrically of the pot, vertically disposed internal ribs upon the side of the pot, elevations in the bottom of the pot integral with the ribs, a cylindrical container provided with perforations slidably mounted in the pot provided with lateral vertical slots for the reception of the ribs, and with recesses in its bottom continuous with the slots adapted to receive the elevations, and means actuated by the spindle for reciprocating the funnel.

11. In a machine of the character described, a motor, a spinning spindle driven by the motor, a spinning pot upon the spindle, a vertically reciprocable funnel disposed concentrically of the pot, a cover detachably fixed upon the pot provided with a central opening for the reception of the funnel and with marginal slots, vertically disposed in ternal ribs upon the pot, a cylindrical container provided with perforations slidably mounted in the pot and provided with vertical lateral slots for the rece tion of the ribs, hand holds uponthe top 0 the container projecting through the marginal slots, and means actuated by the spindle for reciprocating the funnel.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a rotary spinning pot and means for actuating the same, i

of a funnel disposed concentrically of the pot comprising a nonrotary upper section, and a section rotatably mounted upon the lower end of the first section including a portion extending radially of the pot, and means engaging the nonrotatable' section for supporting the funnel concentrically of the pot.

13. In a machine of thecharacter described, a rotary spinning pot, vertically disposed internal ribs upon the pot, a container provided with lateral perforations slidably mounted in the pot and provided with vertical slots for the reception of the ribs, and means for rotating the pot.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

JOSEPH McGOWAN. 

